Key facts
- Israeli authorities coerced confessions from Salah Sarsour, a Palestinian mosque leader, through torture, according to his former attorney.
- Sarsour is fighting a Trump administration effort to deport him from the U.S.
- He was convicted in Israel in the 1980s and '90s for attempting to possess a weapon, but not for ties to a terrorist organization.
- Sarsour was arrested by ICE in March and later released from detention by a judge.
- Human rights organizations have reported on the mistreatment and torture of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
In Chicago immigration court, a witness testified that Israeli authorities coerced confessions from Salah Sarsour, a Palestinian mosque leader who is currently fighting a deportation effort by the U.S. government. Sarsour, a legal permanent resident, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March and later released from detention in June. His former attorney, Jawad Boulos, testified that Sarsour was tortured in Israeli custody and coerced into making confessions in the 1980s and '90s. Boulos stated that Sarsour was convicted of attempting to possess a weapon but not of any charge linking him to a terrorist organization.
The Department of Homeland Security is seeking to deport Sarsour, citing his convictions in Israel as a foreign policy threat. Sarsour, who has no criminal record in the U.S., maintains he is being targeted for speaking out against Israel. Human rights organizations have documented alleged mistreatment and torture of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Sarsour's brother, Mohammad Sarsour, had previously testified about his brother's condition during detention. Sarsour is among several individuals facing deportation after expressing support for Palestinians following the October 2023 Israel-Hamas war. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 14.